The music world lost a sparkling gem this past August when Judith Lapple passed suddenly in her sleep. George Mason University held a memorial concert for Judy 10/3/10, and the new deLaski concert space was standing room only. It is nearly impossible for me to explain the impact of one life-changing experience, let alone the sustained influence of a life-changing force. "She never met a person she couldn't teach" - "vibrant" - "electric" - "generous" - "she was like my second mom" - these are all words and phrases associated with a soul untethered. 80-odd flutists joined in song yesterday... the first piece, Dawn Carol, is played by multiple flutists placed around the performance space. A few began, then others entered, and it was, to the untrained ear, disorganized but "pretty". In truth, it was evoking her very personality - seemingly chaotic with a rich, warm harmony emanating from within. Rays of musical light begin to spin, colliding with each other and breaking into other pieces; and those shards coalesce into one choir full of joy and beauty so powerful that it takes you over completely. The flutes played for Judy, because of Judy, and to Judy yesterday.
The dedication that she applied to her teaching and performing was also the fabric of her family life. She always drew an impenetrable line, shaking her head and setting her mouth - "Nope guys, sorry, my family comes first always, that's never going to change so just get used to it." Her husband, 4 daughters, and mother shared her with us more than anyone else ever would have. Bill, her husband, told me yesterday, "Well it's not like we had a choice (grin) - her students were her life and that was part of the deal. That was the package, and I knew it, and I loved it."
Jenny, her eldest, shared an e-mail with us that Judy wrote her during a trying time. The phrase "those who choose to achieve" stuck out because it encapsulated Judy's theory: If you choose to apply yourself diligently, honestly, and whole-heartedly, you WILL be the best; and you deserve nothing less than the best. The last line read "You are my entire world." This was exactly how she made each of her students feel about our 30 minutes a week, or 2 hrs every other week. We fiercely guarded those lessons against last minute schedule changes and extra-credit activities, for we all loved our time with our teacher. Our teacher, our role model - the woman who was reading "How To Teach Genius" in her final days.
Jenny, her eldest, shared an e-mail with us that Judy wrote her during a trying time. The phrase "those who choose to achieve" stuck out because it encapsulated Judy's theory: If you choose to apply yourself diligently, honestly, and whole-heartedly, you WILL be the best; and you deserve nothing less than the best. The last line read "You are my entire world." This was exactly how she made each of her students feel about our 30 minutes a week, or 2 hrs every other week. We fiercely guarded those lessons against last minute schedule changes and extra-credit activities, for we all loved our time with our teacher. Our teacher, our role model - the woman who was reading "How To Teach Genius" in her final days.
Thanks, darling. This just made me cry at my desk.
ReplyDelete=(
<3 you. Wish you could have been there. Jenny, Judy, and Dr. Monson played "Portrait of a Dream" in China this summer. Jenny, Wendy Lane, and Dr. Monson played it on Sunday afternoon. I want us to do this for her on my recital. It isn't incredibly difficult and I know we could pull it together in 3-4 rehearsals alone and one with the piano. I'm ordering that and the piece Gary Schocker wrote for Judy - he titled it "Flame".
ReplyDelete